... Being sick and reluctant to fly it sure made her into an easy target .
I also like to add that she had a freshly caught fish in her GIT which means she didn’t starve until the incidence .
...

Dr.Gebril, thank You very much of real information on nature of this sad event. Woul'd it be possible to estimate whether Maru could have returned from Africa to Asia or Europe before perishing, or even lived longer than that?

From my medical standpoint I’m quite positive she’d have perished before returning back to Europe.. Although birds never cease to amaze me with their capabilities! But yes she was in a bad shape for such long way back home .

Many thanks, dear Dr. Gebril, for all the further informations!
They are very valuable for us.
Hard to bear that trophy hunters took Marus life. Only the fact that she was so ill, makes it a bit easier to handle this.
But I‘m glad to read that Maru could catch even fish out there.

Thank you also, Anne, Liz, Hellem and all, for informations and updates!

I don't know this WS. What is his story? Pic is very small and hard to read.

Abigyl,
nothing unusual - Hajdú is male adult stork (from streamed nest).He was always one from first returning WS in HU. One ornithologist catch him and now we know the explanation. His wintering area is "only" Israel (east from Evron, a kibbutz near Nahariya, Northern District, Israel).
here more - migration album (after arrival his device is "quiet")https://albumyrajce.rajce.idnes.cz/migr ... t._04.09./

by Dr.Gebril » March 2nd, 2019, 10:58 pm
I highly doubt that Maru was shot for infection control purposes as a matter of fact I believe she was targeted by trophy hunters and they didn’t claim her because the ID Ring and the Transmitter were enough deterrent to let her be . Being sick and reluctant to fly it sure made her into an easy target .
I also like to add that she had a freshly caught fish in her GIT which means she didn’t starve until the incidence .

by kuhankeittäjä » March 3rd, 2019, 1:41 pm
Dr.Gebril, thank You very much of real information on nature of this sad event. Woul'd it be possible to estimate whether Maru could have returned from Africa to Asia or Europe before perishing, or even lived longer than that?

by Dr.Gebril » March 3rd, 2019, 1:49 pm
From my medical standpoint I’m quite positive she’d have perished before returning back to Europe.. Although birds never cease to amaze me with their capabilities! But yes she was in a bad shape for such long way back home .

If the fish was a rare delicacy for Maru there near the Nile and Al Ballanah wastewater Ponds in Egypt, then ... at least she got fish to eat before her death, so maybe her mind could be happy at that sad moment she was shot by those hunters... at least I hope so.

So... now I hope for good luck and health to Marus family... Karl, Kati, and Karula, and of course to 'uncle' Eedi... when they flyes around this big world.

Karula is again sleeping in Mahane Gideon, heritage preservation site, Transjordan Frontier Force of the British Empire, Israel
In the absence of trees, such a thing can also serve to sleep on. https://up.picr.de/35202271xe.jpg